History of
Circus Arts

Circus arts are one of the oldest forms of human entertainment. In antiquity, acrobats, jugglers and equilibrists already amazed crowds — long before the circus as an institution existed. A journey through the history of an art form.

Ancient Roots

Acrobatic performances are documented in ancient Egypt, China and Greece. Wall paintings from ancient Egypt (approx. 2000 BC) show acrobats doing cartwheels and handstands. In China, juggling and acrobatics are attested for at least 2,500 years.

In ancient Greece and Rome, acrobats and artists were a fixture at festivals and banquets. The Romans particularly appreciated equilibrists — artists who balanced on unstable surfaces — and contortionists.

The Middle Ages and Travelling Artists

In the Middle Ages, artists lived as travelling performers — jugglers, troubadours, acrobats who moved from town to town and performed in market squares and inns. These travelling artists often occupied a low social standing — but were simultaneously indispensable as entertainment for all social classes.

In the late Middle Ages these artists began banding together in guilds and loose groups. The precursors of the modern circus emerged.

The Birth of the Modern Circus

The birth of the modern circus is considered to be 1768: Philip Astley, a former cavalry officer, opened a riding school in London and began combining trick riding with other artistic performances. The circular arena shape (standardised by him at 13 metres in diameter) enabled riding acts and gave the circus its characteristic form.

Astley's success was enormous. Similar circuses soon arose across Europe and America. The circus became the people's theatre of the 19th century.

The Golden Age of the Circus

The 19th century was the golden age of the circus. Names like Barnum & Bailey in America and Zirkus Krone in Germany created huge travelling circuses that traversed the country by train and drew thousands of spectators.

In this period, the classical disciplines of circus arts were perfected: trapeze, high wire, contortion, juggling, acrobatics on horseback. Famous artist families passed their knowledge from generation to generation.

Circus Schools and Academic Training

In the 20th century, circus arts began to be academicised. In the Soviet Union, state circus schools were founded that treated circus arts as a serious art form. This model radiated across all of Europe.

In the GDR, the State Artists' School Berlin emerged — today, as the State Ballet School Berlin, one of Europe's most renowned training institutions for dance, acrobatics and circus arts. Ilian Simeonow completed his 5½-year training here.

Nouveau Cirque and Contemporary Circus Arts

In the 1970s and 1980s, the "Nouveau Cirque" (New Circus) movement revolutionised the industry. Instead of pure acrobatics, artists like Cirque du Soleil (founded 1984) combined circus arts with dance, theatre, music and narrative elements.

Today circus arts are a broad field: from traditional circus through contemporary dance companies that integrate acrobatic elements to street art and the use of artists in film productions. The boundaries between acrobatics, stunt and acting are fluid — exactly where Ilian Simeonow operates.